February 26, 2015

Stuff and Things 2/26

+I've started biting my nails again. I stopped around my birthday because I told myself I was too old for that nonsense anymore. I tried, desperately, to keep polish on them because then I won't bite them. However, polish chips and then they look messy and then I start chewing on them again. It's a losing battle.

+This is my theory on 50 Shades of Gray: It is really, really dumb. It is also unnecessary and when the morning news includes a segment on it, you know that the civilization is in probable decline. You might remember that I attempted the first couple chapters of the book before it blew up a few years ago and I was insulted by the poor writing and the fact that it was Twilight fan fiction. My theory has evolved though. I could go on and on about how impressionable and susceptible adolescent girls are, but I won't. My overarching theory is that...have you seen The Fall? Jamie Dornan (a.k.a Christian Grey) plays a serial killer. A particularly sadistic one. That character, Peter something, is much more likable than Christian Grey. And he's a serial killer.
I think Dakota Johnson seems about as insufferable as Kristen Stewart, but I do like Jamie Dornan. As long as he's playing a serial killer.

+I was going to complain about winter here for a few sentences. But seriously, who wants to read that? I don't even want to write that, so I'll keep my nasty thoughts to myself.

+Those of you with pets: How do you keep your floors clean in the winter? We're lucky that we don't get a whole lot of precipitation here (the mud in Missouri was unreal), but when it snows and melts, they track in the dirt and mud. It's exhausting, wiping paws at the door. And honestly, when it's really bad, I just keep a couple of inches of water in the bathtub that is closest to the door the dogs use and plop them in to wash paws. Yes, I carry them from door to tub. They hate it, I hate it, and Scott laughs at me. But I can't deal with dirty floors. Especially because they like to nap on the bed and couch and I certainly can't deal with dirty furniture.

+Another question: Do you photoshop pictures? I've been thinking about the topic of photoshopping lately. Especially the idea that nothing you ever see in a magazine or even is movies is the real deal.Aside from playing with lighting/saturation or filtering on IG, my pictures are never photoshopped. I would like to say this is because I have a high moral stance, but honestly, I just don't know how. Everything you've ever seen on this blog or my IG is the real deal (I don't know if that's good or bad).

I read this young adult fiction book last summer in about two days and now is your chance to pick it up on Kindle. It would probably also be a perfect snow-day read if you're in Colorado...sigh.

For quiet, reserved, and focused 15 year old Annie Mackey, school was a sanctuary. But when her bubbly and beautiful neighborhood best friend joins her at Willow Point High for freshmen year, her world is turned upside down.

Everything Annie could count on for stability is shattered, and she's left feeling more alone than ever before.

Just when she's about to lose all hope, someone unexpected swoops in and gives her a much needed lesson in perspective.

20 comments:

Have you ever tried the Jamberry nail things? They're kind of expensive and I'm not sure how much I like them, but you would probably never want to bite your nails again if they're covered in stickers.

Have you ever tried the Jamberry nail things? They're kind of expensive and I'm not sure how much I like them, but you would probably never want to bite your nails again if they're covered in stickers.

I don't photoshop or picmonkey up my photos because that would take time I'm not willing to spend.

Our dogs come in through the basement door - the tile is brown and gross but hides dirt so we just let them in and mop the floor every few days. When it's wet or muddy they do get wiped off at the door, which totally sucks.

No on the photoshop - I don't know how either. I try to take flattering photos and sometimes I may add a filter to it but that's as far as it goes around here, too. With ya 100% on the 50 Shades. Not to mention it's not sexy. Like how do people think that's sexy?

I have so, so many thoughts on Fifty Shades...some of which include exactly what you said. I am sad for our society.

I wish I had advice for you on the nail biting...I was the WORST nail biter when I was a teenager and then one day I just decided to stop, and I've never bitten them since. I do pick at my cuticles, though, which is just as bad. Isaiah's always asking what I did to my thumbs...gross, I know.

I keep my floors clean by never allowing my animal outside, ever. ;)

I don't Photoshop. Of course, I don't take all that many pictures other than cell phone ones for Instagram, and I do like filtering Instagram pictures for brightness and saturation and such, but legit Photoshopping? Nah.

I lost count of how many times (and ways) I've tried to stop biting my nails. I've stopped for long periods of time (longest is probably about 2 months) but I always fall back into it. I never photoshop my photos. The most I do is add some text or a watermark if I'm using it on my blog but I don't have interest in spending hours alliterating the photo. I love photography, not photo editing and even if they are one in the same for a lot of people my interest is purely photography. I want to capture the perfect moment with the imperfect light or wispy hairs or whatever the "imperfection" might be.

I have never even attempted photoshop. I know a lot of bloggers who do, but they are more the fashion type. I've briefly thought about downloading some skinny apps and playing with them, but that's not really me. I'm not into advertising lies about myself. I rarely wear makeup, so what you see in my pictures is me. Acne scars and all. And on the nail biting, it's been said, but I know a few girls who went with Jamberry to stop the nail biting. They are cheap, so it might be worth a try.

Oooh I need to check out Joey's book!! I never bit my nails, but I pick at the skin around my nails - weird, I know, but so addicting, and I can't even find a way to stop, trying to cover it with polish or anything haha.

I use Lightroom for editing but Try to keep my edits to what the eye would see naturally. I've never smoothed out my wrinkles or removed an unwanted blemish or anything like that. LR is really easy if you are just looking for quick edits

The floors situation is tricky. Bailey only has a small patch of a yard and I have a rug at the door, but she does mess up the floors. It drives me crazy. I feel the same about the 50 shades of stupid stuff.

Hair on the floors. OMG don't get me started.Nails - JAMBERRY! I just started using them and am still learning to get them to stay on, but there is no chipping and I'm not biting!!Photoshop...well. I use LR but I edit every photo on the blog and if we're being honest...I edit every one of myself that anyone sees. Good-bye wrinkles!! :)

I just bought some Jamberry wraps and plan to give them a whirl. I will have to let you know how it goes. I am also a nervous nail biter. I thought that Jamberry sounded expensive at first, but you can get two manicures, two pedicures, and some accent nail wraps out of one sheet. At $15, that's only $3.75 a manicure or pedicure (with a few wraps to spare), and that is so much cheaper than going to a salon (and I'm hoping so much quicker and longer lasting than polish). I will let you know what I think. If you're interested, I have a friend who is a consultant, and I can put you in touch.

P.S. I do NOT paint my nails because I do not have the patience, so if I end up thinking Jamberry is great, you know that it must be because I'm about the laziest person when it comes to nail maintenance. I keep them clean and trimmed, and that's it!

Totally agree on 50 Shades! I didn't see the movie (or read the books) but I find Dakota Johnson so obnoxious, too - especially after watching her argue with the mother on the Oscars red carpet last weekend haha